Quanti diligentiam aestimas?

"The saints show us examples of virtues," says Stephen, "and the pagans show us examples of vices. The saints teach us the good life, the pagans the bad life. In fact there are many Roman songs filled with superstitions and stories of the gods; but surely the poets thought the gods to be false? Lucretius certainly did not believe in them, and he explained the origin of their superstitions thus: all mortals are repressed by fear. Now we value greatly the works of the poets and we preserve them in the library of the monastery: for we will tolerate the stories as allegories, and not condemn them. How lucky we are! Now we have many books of poetry in the library. So, now we must read... this is the task, this is work."
"Why are only dead poets pleasing to you, Father Stephen?" says Augustine. "The poet Martial once said: You do not praise poets unless they are dead."
"Today, boys, we will read the work not of Martial but of Virgil: Dawn now raised her nourishing light upon the suffering mortals and renewed their daily grind ... Who is that?"
"Sorry, Father Stephen."
"Paul? Now you are here? You are a bad student! Why are you idling wantonly in the woods when you ought to be here in the library? You will be sorry, boy, oh yes, and I will punish you."
"Master, there was a girl in the wood."
"I'm sure."
"She was wounded."
"She was wounded, I think, by love."
"She fell from her horse, Master."
"She fell, did she, boy? From where? From the sky? Was the horse flying in the sky? Do girls fall from the sky like fruit from trees?"
The other students laughed.
"Master I am telling you the truth."
"The truth? What an age! What moral standards! Do you take studies to be trifles? How much do you value hard work?"
"Greatly, Father Stephen, greatly."
"Paul, I am not a cruel master, but I will teach you attentiveness. Do you see this book?"
"I see it, Master."
"Today the book is to be copied out; you will also work into the night if necessary."
"Today?"
 

Quis philosophus esse vult?

Lucia, the abbess and bishop stand near the gate of the monastery where they are waiting for the horses and carriage. Soon the abbot comes from the monastery and says farewell to them; then two attendants lead the horses and carriage from the stable to the travellers. Lucia herself, however, will not ride because she is still recovering, but she will sit with the abbess in the carriage. Now the bishop climbs onto the horse and rides under the trees with the carriage.
        Meanwhile in the library Paul and Augustine are still working; for Stephen told the two of them to spend the whole day writing out the rule of the monks. Now from the window Augustine caught sight of the travellers leaving the monastery:
"Over there your girl is leaving the monastery. Do you want to see her?"
"Are you still doing nothing, Augustine? We have to finish the work," says Paul.
"Writing is slow and difficult. As Martial says, to lie awake is unimportant, but to lie awake all night is serious. Look at that girl: she is a friend of the abbot and the abbess; and I reckon she has a bob or two. And you Paul, do you want to have knowledge or
money? Or love?"
"Sssh! Now we must write."
"Who wants to be a philosopher or theologian? I want to have riches:

    Let the philosopher dispute with an empty bowl
    Let him know that knowing is worth less than having."